Brain and Nervous System

Neuro-oncology

At University Medical Center New Orleans we house one of only a few Neuro Oncology programs in the region. Neuro-oncology is a subspecialty of medicine focused on tumors of the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system, as well as the neurological complications caused by cancer or cancer treatments. It combines expertise from oncology and neurology. Dr. Odia is one of only two board-certified neuro-oncologists in New Orleans and four in all of Louisiana. She is the disease-site specialist dedicated to patients with brain and nervous system cancers, requiring close collaboration among medical oncology, neurosurgery, radiation oncology, neurology, pathology, and supportive care teams.

Conditions we treat

• Primary brain tumors (tumors that start in the brain)
  • Glioblastoma
  • Astrocytoma
  • Oligodendroglioma
  • Meningioma
  • Ependymoma
• Spinal cord tumors
• Brain metastases (cancers that spread to the brain from elsewhere in the body, such as lung, breast, or melanoma)
• Primary CNS lymphoma
• Neurologic complications of cancer, such as seizures, headaches, cognitive changes, or weakness.

Our treatments and services:

Treatment is often multidisciplinary and may include:

• Surgery to remove or biopsy the tumor
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Targeted therapies
• Immunotherapy
• Symptom management (e.g., seizure control, steroids for brain swelling, rehabilitation).